Whiskey Lullaby
by TheDevilChild
Summary: On a dark night,Wally West is comforting Zatanna Zatara because two of their friends are dead. Rated T for mentions of suicide.I apologize for horrible summary.Song-fic for Whiskey Lullaby.


It was quiet in the West home, except for sobbing coming from the room of the youngest in the family, rest of the West's were all gone for one reason or another, leaving young Wally home. He was not alone, in the last hour, his friend, young Zatanna Zatara had come to his door, tears in her eyes. She had been ushered in immediately, and now was the source of the sobbing.

What happened, you ask? Well, let us go to the scene in Wally's own bedroom. He had both arms wrapped tightly around her, and it turns out that Zatanna was not the only one who was crying. The ginger had tear tracks on his face, and the salty water just kept his voice, he said, "You'll be okay, Zee."He reassured quietly."We all will be, eventually."

The sobbing only increased, and the magician gasped out,"No, I won' , they're both dead. Both of them, in the span of only about .MONTHS!"Wally quickly wiped his eyes, and moved so that he was holding her at arm's length."Listen, about we listen to some music, huh? Maybe that'll cheer us up. "He said. In reply, the ebony-haired girl sniffled, and wiped at her eyes."I'm sorry. I've stained your shirt with my mascara."

Wally chuckles, despite their position. "Don't worry about it, Zee."He got up slowly, and walked over to the radio, switching it on. He adjusts the knobs a little, and then walks back over to her, sitting down again. A song had just ended, one that Zatanna recognized as Ke$ha's ''Die Young''.She laughed bitterly at the almost cruel irony._ The night after her funeral, and here I am, bothering Wally._ She thinks.

After a brief pause, a new song begins, slower than the previous. At almost the same time, both Wally and Zatanna's eyes light up in recognition. Then the song began, and both of their eyes darkened at the first verse.

_She put him out_

_Like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette_

Wally murmured, "I remember why I hated this song..."and starts to stand, but the olive hand of Zatanna stops him."No. I want to hear this."She said solemly, sure that it wasn't just a coincidence that this song had begun playing as soon as the radio turned on.

_She broke his heart_

_He spent his whole life tryin' to forget_

Zatanna blinked away newly formed tears, and Wally tried to reason with her."Zee, we can change the –"he was cut off by her. "No. I'm going to continue listening. If you don't wish to, you can exit the room."After a brief hesitation, Wally decided to stay, and support her.

_We watched him drink his pain away_

_A little at a time_

Zatanna looked sadly at Wally."We did."She said quietly, and it was true. Poor boy had been rejected by her back when he was still Robin, and never truly recovered. When he wasn't on duty, the boy was drinking.

_But he never could get drunk enough_

_To get her off his mind_

_Until the night_

Both the speedster and the magician closed their eyes tightly, preparing for the incoming words.

_He put that bottle to his head_

_And pulled the trigger_

_And finally drank away her memory_

Zatanna opened her pink and puffy eyes, and bit her lip, trying to deny tears their escape, but failing.

_Life is short, but this time it was bigger_

_Than the strength he had to get up off his knees_

"And you know what the worst part is?"Came the shaky voice of Wally."None of us had a clue about how he felt, not even Batman or Robin."The statement was had been a fantastic actor, convinving everyone that he was 'perfectly fine' and 'not to worry'.

_We found him with his face down in the pillow_

_With a note that said I'll love her till I die_

A strange noise came from Zatanna as she choked back a sob, remembering the scene they had found him in. She had found him first, indeed face-down in his pillow. Blood stained the sheets around him, but she didn't see this at first, since they were black. She thought him asleep, until her hand touched the covers, and red came away.

_And when we buried him beneath the willow_

_The angels sang a whiskey lullaby_

Wally, his eyes still closed, sighed as he remembered the willow tree that was about as old as him, the one that had been their favorite place to hang out, and had become his resting place. He began to have flashbacks. Zee lost the battle to keep her eyes open, and snapped them shut.

_The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself_

Both of the teens' eyes flew open at the new, female, voice."This is sung by Brad Paisley…alone." Wally said, his jaw open slightly. Zee gasped as she realized something."This doesn't sound like any female singer I've ever heard, and that didn't sound like Brad Paisley. Tell me, Wally, who does this sound like to you?"The ginger's eyes widened in realization. "Artemis." He breathed out."And Dick." The ebony added, sounding just as shocked as he.

_For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath_

_She finally drank her pain away a little at a time_

"But how?"Asked Wally. Zatanna didn't hear him, however, as something in her head clicked."I **knew** there was a reason that this song came on when you turned on the radio!"Wally looked at her in disbelief."And just what reason is that?"

_But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind_

_Until the night_

"Peace."Was her simple answer."Putting us at peace. Showing us why they had to die."Wally sighed." I always wondered who he was talking about in his note. I assumed it was you."Zatanna shook her head violently."No, was the little brother I never had, nothing more."Wally exhaled heavily."Now we know who he was talking about."

_She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger_

_And finally drank away his memory_

Wally bit his lip as he remembered the morbid scene he had found her in. Like Dick, she was face down in the pillow, but her sheets were white, unlike his, and the bloodstains were all too obvious.

_Life is short but this time it was bigger_

_Than the strength she had to get up off her knees_

Because she had quit the team after almost getting someone killed, nobody really knew how she was doing. She had become distant, but when people visited, she put on a happy mask, and assures them that she was doing great, despite living alone and isolated. Wally was the only one that visited her on a regular basis, other Friday, he would go.

_We found her with her face down in the pillow_

_Clinging to his picture for dear life_

That was only a week ago. It seemed like such a shorter time than that, however.

_We laid her next to him beneath the willow_

_While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby_

Her funeral had been that morning. When the song ended, Wally hurriedly hopped up, and switched off the radio, nearly breaking it in the process. Then he turned, and saw that Zatanna was asleep on his bed. He smiled, and retrieved blankets from a closet, before laying next to her, and drifting off.

Meanwhile, at the station of KILT, the manager was very confused."What the hell? The next song after 'Die Young' was supposed to be 'Dirt Road Anthem', not 'Whiskey Lullaby!'There must be something wrong with the system!"

While he searched for the problem, a feminine figure, invisible to him, laughed."You always were fantastic at hacking, Dick."The figure said. She was beautiful, with long, flowing, blonde hair, not in a ponytail for once. She wore a silky, silvery dress that flowed down over her feet. Her eyes were a stormy, yet beautiful grey. On her arms were intricate bands of gold that gleamed.

Next to her was a male figure, smiling brightly. He was the one identified as 'Dick'. "Why thank you, Artemis."He said. He was garbed in a white suit, with polished black shoes. His eyes were a piercing light blue, and his hair was a shade of deep black, gleaming in the light.

The couple looked very happy, and began to laugh together."You have a lovely singing voice, Arty."He complimented, reaching to grasp her hand."Thanks, do too."She replied, not missing a , a joke was told by the man, who eventually had them both laughing again. Behind them, a door seemingly made out of light appeared, and opened. The grasp on each other's hands visibly tightened, and they walked through. They disappeared, and their laughter faded, until the door finally closed, and ceased to exist.

AN:To clear it up,Dick and Artemis died so that they could be with each story takes place the night after Artemis' both committed suicide,each with a bullet through the head.


End file.
